BAY CITY, MI -- Expressing disappointment over President Donald Trump and vowing to no longer be affiliated with any political party, the chairman of the Bay County Republican Party has stepped down from his post.

Officials with the party have called an emergency meeting for Tuesday, Feb. 13, to discuss filling the open position. David Scholl, vice chairman of the party, said he would likely finish DeFrain's term as chairman through the end of the year.

"Brandon was excellent for us and he did move us forward," Scholl said. "In this last presidential election, he was very instrumental in getting the word out and helping the party have a presence in Bay County."

Trump won the Democrat-heavy Bay County with 53 percent of the vote.

Brandon DeFrain, a 1st District Bay County Commissioner candidate, watches news updates on the 2016 Presidential election at a Bay County Republican watch party at Old City Hall on Nov. 8, 2016.Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com|

In his announcement, DeFrain said, "I can no longer remain silent about our President. I have not seen a leader, I've only seen more of the same... I'm tired of attempting to defend a machine that does not defend the people I love."

A year ago, DeFrain publicly endorsed Trump for a national TV segment on NBC's 'Today' show called "In Trump They Trust." Political analyst Nicolle Wallace interviewed voters in counties that had previously voted overwhelmingly for Barack Obama in the past two elections -- which included Bay County -- to understand their vote for Trump and what they expect from the administration.

DeFrain was a fresh face for the local Republican Party who nearly upset Michael Duranczyk on two occasions for a seat on the Bay County Board of Commissioners, which has long been controlled by Democrats. In 2016, DeFrain lost the race by eight votes.

Last year, Michigan Republican Party Chairman Ron Weiser named DeFrain one of the party's top Republicans in the state.

Scholl called DeFrain's departure "sudden" and "unexpected."

"It's unclear the reason behind it, other than what he put on his Facebook page," he said.

In that Facebook post, DeFrain argued there has been a rise in racism and hatred since Trump has taken office:

"Since Inauguration Day I've shared my opinion in close circles and mainly with family members, friends and my wife. I haven't spoke much about the current state of political affairs because in the past, I believed in giving our leaders a chance. Since I've been involved in politics I've spent my time learning about the passion on both sides. I have found myself torn. This leads to where my mind is today. I do not support the actions coming from the White House. I felt a strong sense of unity in Bay County during the 2016 election. Despite some of the terrible things being said in campaigns around the country, I felt that people in our community could come together and embrace a change. But it seems that national politics only lead to us hating each other regardless who we vote for."

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DeFrain declined to comment for this story, saying his Facebook post speaks for itself.

Scholl said it was his understanding that DeFrain wanted to focus more on his family and a new music festival that he's bringing to downtown Bay City this summer.

In his post, DeFrain didn't rule out running for political office in the future.

"I will no longer seek political office as a partisan represented candidate and I will no longer be more than an independent thinker working for the good of my family and my community," he wrote.